there was a terrorist attack on america. and though we suffered a horrific attack, the strength, resilience and extraordinary acts of kindness of the american people showed the world that attempts to destroy our way of life would never succeed. on that day, no one could get in or out of washington, and many communication networks were inoperable. so when the pentagon was hit, and the capitol was evacuated, my staff and i walked one block to my home on capitol hill. just as example, the husband of my office manager worked in the section of the pentagon had been hit, so we were on the phone, the one phone that we had, the hospitals, the police, anyone that we thought might be able to tell us if he was safe. thankfully, he was fine. but there were so many who waited for hours, who called hospitals to hear from their loved ones. sometimes the news was a relief, and sometimes they waited in vain for good news. and i have to say that it was an incredible moment when the senators who could find each other, where ever they had gone from the capital, we finally gathered early -- well, late afternoon
